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Written by Cynthia Mos
Preservation of the Osage Valley history was a dream of Ed Elmore the Supervisory Park Ranger at the Truman Dam Visitor Center in 1979. When Jim Breshears was hired as a Park Ranger in 1980 Ed and Jim would travel the area hearing the stories and learning about the traditional skills needed to homestead. They recruited Jim's wife Jean Breshears and together they began inviting heritage crafters to demonstrate their skills on the lawn of the Benton County Courthouse. This was the beginning of Pioneer Heritage Days.
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